They're made of something much more fragile than that. The unfakeable warmth of fan-love pulses out of this dynamic documentary by Shane Meadows, about the 2012 reunion of the Stone Roses, the legendary band whose first album triggered the Manchester wave; yet while 90s Cool Britannia got into its euphoric groove, the Stone Roses themselves famously retreated into legal wrangling, creative inertia and weird Salingeresque reclusiveness, one hidden benefit of which was that they were never tempted, like Noel Gallagher, to commit themselves to endorsing Tony Blair.
In its sheer warmth, energy and sense of purpose, this film could be Meadows's best so far. Made of Stone comes in three acts: a triumphant free gig for echt fans (they need to bring CD inserts or other paraphernalia to get tickets) at Warrington's Parr Hall; a tricky mini-tour in Europe during which drummer Alan "Reni" Wren throws a bit of a strop and it looks as if all the old animosities are rising to the surface; and then a colossal event at Heaton Park, captured by Meadows with fiery confidence and flair. John Squire launches into a freaky guitar solo while Ian Brown – looking compellingly like a mobile Easter Island statue – goes walkabout along the front row. Meadows is clearly not interested in lifting the biographical lid on anyone, just getting alongside the band, and picking up on their energy, vulnerability and excitement. He has no agenda; he just loves the Stone Roses, and it's a great, heartfelt tribute.
Read our interview with Shane Meadows about how he made the film
With unprecedented access to previously unseen archive footage, MADE OF STONE is a revealing journey through the life of one of the most revered and influential bands in British music history.
Acclaimed film-maker Shane Meadows brings his unique directorial style, humour and emotional depth to the film, capturing the band at work and in their everyday lives as they rehearsed for their much-anticipated reunion, which culminated in three triumphant homecoming gigs at Manchester's Heaton Park in front of 220,000 adoring fans.
Incorporating never-seen-before material spanning the band’s musical history, the personal experiences of many of those touched by the band and their music, and unparalleled access to the record-breaking sell-out concerts which took place in Summer 2012, this is the definitive record of the definitive band of the past 25 years.
The Stone Roses: Made of StoneDirected byShane MeadowsProduced by
- Mark Herbert
- Libby Durdy
Starring
- Ian Brown
- John Squire
- Gary Mounfield
- Alan Wren
CinematographyLaurie RoseEdited by
- Matthew Gray
- Chris King
- Tobias Zaldua
Production companies
Film4 Productions Warp Films
Distributed byPicturehouse Entertainment
Release date
- 5 June 2013
Running time
96 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishBox office$784,111
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone is a 2013 British music documentary on the acclaimed band The Stone Roses directed by Shane Meadows. The film stars band members Ian Brown, John Squire, Gary Mounfield and Alan Wren. The film was released on 5 June 2013 in the United Kingdom.
The film, which has received positive reviews from critics, follows the band reforming in 2012 after a 16-year split, capturing the band at work and in their everyday lives as they practise for their much-anticipated reunion on a tour across Europe, which culminated in three triumphant homecoming gigs at Manchester’s Heaton Park.
Cast[edit]
- Ian Brown as himself
- John Squire as himself
- Gary Mounfield as himself
- Alan Wren as himself
- Shane Meadows as himself
- Mark Herbert as himself
- Liam Gallagher as himself
- Eric Cantona as himself
Home media[edit]
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 21 October 2013.
Critical response[edit]
The film has been generally praised by critics and has garnered a rating of 73% on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 26 critical reviews with an average rating of 6.9 out of 10. The consensus reads: "This is very much a fan's-eye view of the Roses. But Meadows' lack of critical distance from his subject pays off in spades by allowing him to capture the passion the Roses inspire in their fans."
Peter Bradshaw, film critic for The Guardian, awarded the film four out of five stars, writing: "Warm and energetic, Shane Meadows's love letter to the Stone Roses may be his best film so far". David Gritten, film critic for The Daily Telegraph, awarded the film four out of five stars, writing: "Shane Meadows has made a touching tribute to his favourite band - and to music fandom itself."